Gaming device providing tournament entries

ABSTRACT

A gaming device which enables a player to enter a tournament based on an outcome achieved on the gaming device. In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a set of reels including at least one qualification symbol. If at least one qualification symbol is displayed within a display device of the gaming device, the player qualifies for a tournament to be played at a later time. The tournament is preferably a slot machine tournament. One or more prizes are awarded at the tournament, including high value items such as cars and motorcycles as well as lower valued items such as hats, T-shirts, jackets, memorabilia and other merchandise. In this regard, the tournament provides convenience to a casino as far as prize acquisition, distribution and record keeping are concerned because prizes are awarded at one specific event instead of on sporadic occasions. The payout percentages of the gaming devices providing entry into the tournament are set relative to a cost of the tournament.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of, claims priority to and thebenefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/960,762, filed on Sep.21, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gaming devices are well known. Most gaming devices provide monetaryawards such as coins or tokens to the player. If the awards are over acertain predetermined value, or number of coins or credits, most gamingdevices provide hand pays for the players. Other known gaming devicesprovide physical prizes. Generally, a player will qualify to win a prizeby achieving a certain result on a gaming device. In one example, anumber of gaming devices may be associated with a valuable award orprize such as a car or motorcycle.

Gaming establishments such as casinos favor such prizes because they canuse the actual prize, such as a car or motorcycle, in a display in thecasino associated with the games. The chance of winning such prizesprovides additional incentives for players to play the gaming devices.However, casinos are reluctant to offer such prizes associated withcertain results on the gaming devices because there are various problemsand complications associated with prize acquisition, distribution andrecord keeping.

For example, if the casino decides to offer a prize in association withplay of a gaming device, casino personnel must determine which gamingdevices to associate with offering of the prize, whether slot machine,video poker, video blackjack, keno, etc. Casino personnel also have todetermine what kind of prize to offer. The prizes could be large in sizeor value, such as a car or motorcycle. In the alternative, the pricescould be smaller in size or value, such as T-shirts, jackets, hats,key-chains, memorabilia or other merchandise. Casino personnel mustdetermine whether the proposed prize or prizes will fit within apredetermined budget. Accordingly, casino personnel must also determinethe quantity of the prizes offered.

Other considerations include choosing a vendor from whom the prizes willbe purchased. Once a vendor is chosen, there usually will be contractualnegotiations dealing with prices and quantities purchased. This takestime and effort by casino personnel. The negotiations may have to beperformed by legal counsel, which also provides an added expense. Casinopersonnel must also consider delivery of the prizes to the winningplayers. In some cases, separate negotiations with a distributor may benecessary. Casino personnel then face issues such as which distributorto choose, who is responsible if the prizes become damaged during thedelivery, insurance costs for the prizes, as well as delivery due dates,returns, complaints and potential product liability, among otherconcerns.

Storage of the prizes is another consideration. Many casinos are part ofhotels which have limited storage areas for smaller-sized prizes and inmost cases no storage area for larger prizes such as cars ormotorcycles. Casino personnel must make arrangements with storagefacilities and address issues such as time of storage, amount of storagespace needed and cost of storage. Personnel must also insure that theprizes are properly delivered to the storage facility. If the prizes arestored off-site from the casino, casino personnel must also factor inthe cost of having the prizes eventually delivered to the casino,whether by casino personnel, storage facility personnel, or a thirdparty. If the casino stores the prizes at the hotel, casino personnelmust determine whether there is adequate space for the prizes. It mustalso determine the amount of time the prizes will be stored.

Wherever the prizes may be stored, casino personnel may also need toconsider whether additional security is required to prevent theft of theprizes. If the prizes are stored off-site, casino personnel may have tonegotiate with the storage facility for security services. Or, casinopersonnel may have to hire a third party to prevent theft of the prizes.Moreover, large and small prizes, whether by size or value, may requiredifferent measures in order to be secured. Large prizes may requireconstant monitoring. Smaller prizes may require the purchasing ofadditional security devices such as safes sensors because they are moreprone to theft. As a result, casino personnel who already monitor gamingdevices for hand pays, large payouts and assorted maintenance may befaced with additional security tasks which may impair their ability toattend to players' inquiries. In the alternative, the casino may have tohire additional personnel, which can be expensive for the casino.

Another concern is advertising or marketing of the offered prize orprizes. Personnel must consider where to advertise the prize offering,such as within the hotel, other hotels, on the internet, or othervenues. They must also factor in the cost of advertising. As far asmarketing is concerned, casino personnel must decide if the prize willbe on display in an area near the gaming devices associated with theprize. If, for example, the casino decides to offer a car as a prize anddecides to display the car near the associated gaming devices, casinopersonnel must consider how to display the car, as well as anyassociated decorations. The materials for the display may have asubstantial cost which the casino must consider. The allotted spacingwithin the casino is another consideration. If certain gaming devicesmust be repositioned to make room for the display, casino personnel mustfactor in the time as well as costs needed to perform this task. In somecases, casino personnel may need to employ a third party to assist indesigning and constructing the display. Casino personnel must thenconsider which service provider to choose as well as the costs of suchservices.

Once erected, the display must be maintained. If a platform is used todisplay the car, the platform must be checked occasionally forweaknesses to avoid any possible accidents involving players, personnelor casino property. The display must also be monitored to insure that itis in a presentable condition. Casino personnel must also considerwhether to employ extra security personnel to protect the display fromtheft or damage.

Casino personnel must address another set of issues when a player winsthe prize. If, for example, the prize the player wins is a car, and thecasino only has the car specifically located on the display, personnelmust be prepared to remove the car from the display. This must be donewithout causing a distraction to other players or interfering with playof other games. If the casino will give the player a different car, thecar may have to be brought from the storage facility to the casino to bepresented to the layer. The casino again faces delivery issues,including time constraints the player may be under. The casino must alsodetermine how the car will be delivered to the player if the playerwants the car delivered to a location remote from the casino, such asthe player's home (i.e., such as the player is on vacation).Accordingly, the casino has to consider if a third party is required todeliver the car. If a third party is used, questions arise as to whowill pay the delivery costs, the casino or the player. Insurance costsfor delivery of the car is another concern. Moreover, if the car is notin working order when the player receives the car, questions arise as towho is responsible.

The casino must also be prepared for a situation in which the playerwins a prize but does not want to keep the prize. In the above example,if the player does not accept the car, the casino must be prepared tooffer an alternate prize, such as a monetary equivalent, or anotherphysical prize or prizes. The casino may also be concerned that thealternate physical prize or prizes have a similar monetary value.

Another issue to address is the organizing of records associated withconveying the prize to the player. For example, player information mustbe gathered. If the prize includes a title, the title must betransferred from the casino to the player. Inventory must also be kepton the number of prizes that have been won. Maintaining these recordscan be a tedious and expensive task.

There are also tax concerns which must be addressed. Federal lawdictates that a player must pay a tax on any win over $1200. If theprize is valued at $20,000, the player may not appreciate, or may not beable to afford, to pay a tax on the value of the prize. If the playerthen refuses the car, the casino must consider alternative awards togive the player.

Smaller prizes, whether in size or value, may pose increasedcomplications than larger prizes because they are won in greater volume.For example, T-shirts offered in conjunction with gaming device playwill most likely be awarded more often than a car which is offered inconjunction with gaming device play. As such, greater volumes of smallprizes must be purchased by the casino. Determining the quantity topurchase, delivery methods of the prizes, displaying of the prizes,delivery of the prizes to the player, security methods and recordkeepingcan be more tedious for these small prizes than for larger prizes due tothe greater volume of prizes.

Casino personnel currently have daily concerns which must be addressed,such as regulating gaming devices, monitoring employees, as well asplayers, and maintaining player interest. These tasks, in and ofthemselves, require substantial amounts of time, effort and costs. Theconcept of offering prizes creates a new set of concerns, such as thosementioned above, which casino personnel want to avoid in attempting tominimize cost while maximizing player interest, enjoyment, entertainmentand excitement.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method of offering anddistributing prizes to players of gaming devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a gaming device which provides a playerwith entry into a tournament to be held at later time. The playerqualifies for the tournament or receives the entry when the playerobtains a predetermined qualifying game outcome on the gaming device.The tournament is held on a regular basis, such as every three months.Entries to a tournament are provided to players during a set period oftime prior to the tournament. In the tournament, the player can winlarge value prizes such as cars, motorcycles, and small valued prizessuch as jackets and other merchandise. The present invention thereforeenables casinos to give prizes to players during regular events. Thisconcentrates the cost and efforts of the casinos toward giving awardprizes on specific days and eliminates complications associated withprize acquisition, distribution and record keeping on a daily basis.

More specifically, in one embodiment, the present invention provides aslot gaming device having a set of reels and a plurality of symbols onthe reels. At least one of the symbols or a combination of symbols is atournament qualification symbol or a tournament qualifying combination,respectively. A player spins the reels in a conventional manner. If,when the reels stop spinning, the qualification symbol or combination isdisplayed, and this, the player obtains a tournament qualifying outcomeon an active payline, the player receives a tournament entry.

The gaming device may alternatively provide any other primary game suchas a video poker game, a video blackjack game, a keno game or any othersuitable game. The qualifying outcome may comprise any winning outcomeincluding, but not limited to, the displaying of a qualification symbolor qualifying combination of symbols where appropriate. It should alsobe appreciated that the tournament entries could be provided to theplayers in any suitable primary or secondary (i.e., bonus) games.

In one embodiment, when the player operates the gaming device andqualifies for the tournament, the player is presented with a voucherverifying entry into the tournament. In one embodiment, this isperformed manually b an attendant in a manner similar to a harid pay.When the player qualifies for the tournament, the gaming device providesnotification to attendants which monitor the gaming area. Thenotification is in the form of a flashing light on top of the gamingdevice in a conventional manner. An attendant arrives at the gamingdevice. After the attendant verifies the qualifying outcome whichqualifies for a tournament entry, the attendant records the player'sinformation on a voucher. One copy of the voucher is presented to theplayer and one copy is retained by the casino for its records.

In one embodiment, the attendant verifies the win and enters theplayer's information in a suitable computer. The computer records theplayer information and directs a printer to print a voucher which iseventually given to the player. In an alternative embodiment, when theplayer qualifies for the tournament, the processor within the gamingdevice or a processor located remote from the gaming device sends asignal to the computer which in turn cause the printer to print avoucher. The player brings the voucher to the tournament to verify entryinto the tournament.

The tournament can be any type of gaming tournament or othercompetition. In one embodiment, the tournament is a slot machinetournament. The player competes against other players who have qualifiedfor the tournament. The tournaments are held periodically with setprizes for each tournament. While the prizes may be monetary awards,preferably the prizes are high value prizes such as cars or motorcycles.The awards may also include lesser valued prizes such as hats, T-shirts,jackets, key-chains, memorabilia and other merchandise. The prizes areawarded at the time of the tournament. This provides numerous advantagesto the casino with respect to prize acquisition, distribution and recordkeeping because all of the prizes are given away in one day or othertime period and in one event.

For example, by giving away all of the prizes at one event, the casinois certain of the time period that the prizes must be kept in storage.The casino can save on the costs of storage by having the prizes placedin storage within proximity of the date of the tournament or the prizescould be delivered to the casino on the same day as the tournament.Further, the casino saves on the costs of delivering the prizes from thestorage site to the casino, because the prizes need only be delivered inone sequence. The casino also saves on the cost of delivering the prizesto the players because most prizes are awarded in the person at the timeof the tournament which is expected by the player. The tournament forumalso enables more convenient record keeping of prizes that are givenaway by the casino because every contestant's information is obtainedprior to, or at the time, of the tournament. The casino also saves onthe cost of advertising for the tournament, because players are madeaware that the prizes on display are solely for advertising and not tobe won at the time of gaming device operation. Thus, the casino needs todisplay on a minimal amount of prizes in the gaming area, if any at all.

It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide agaming device which provides a player with entry into a tournament.

It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a gamingdevice and associated tournament which provide convenience in prizeoffering, distribution and record keeping.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts, elements, components, steps and processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of alternative embodiments of thegaming device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic configuration ofone embodiment of the gaming device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one method of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a display device displaying a set ofreels including a set of qualification symbols on a payline.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a display device displaying a set ofreels including a set of qualification symbols in scattered arrangement.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of a display device displaying a set ofcards providing a qualifying outcome.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a display device displaying a set ofcards including a qualification symbol in which the cards provide awinning combination.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of a display device displaying a set ofcards including a qualification symbol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Gaming Device and Electronics

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1A and 1B,gaming device 10 a and gaming device 10 b illustrate two possiblecabinet styles and display arrangements and are collectively referred toherein as gaming device 10. The present invention includes the game,described below, being a stand alone game or a bonus or secondary gamethat coordinates with a base game. When the game of the presentinvention is a bonus game, gaming device 10 in one base game can be aslot machine having the controls, displays and features of aconventional slot machine, or a video card game such as poker,blackjack, etc. The player can operate the gaming device while standingor sitting. Gaming device 10 also includes being a pub-style ortable-top game (not shown), which a player operates while sitting.

The base games of the gaming device 10 include slot, poker, orblackjack, among others. The gaming device 10 also embodies any bonustriggering events, bonus games as well as any progressive gamecoordinating with these base games. The symbols and indicia used for anyof the base, bonus and progressive games include mechanical, electricalor video symbols and indicia.

In a stand alone or a bonus embodiment, the gaming device 10 includesmonetary input devices. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a coin slot 12 forcoins or tokens and/or a payment acceptor 14 for cash money. The paymentacceptor 14 also includes other devices for accepting payment, such asreaders or validators for credit cards, debit cards or smart cards,tickets, notes, etc. When a player inserts money in gaming device 10, anumber of credits corresponding to the amount deposited is shown in acredit display 16. After depositing the appropriate amount of money, aplayer can begin the game by pulling arm 18 or pushing play button 20.Play button 20 can be any play activator used by the player which startsany game or sequence of events in the gaming device.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, gaming device 10 also includes a betdisplay 22 and a bet one button 24. The player places a bet by pushingthe bet one button 24. The player can increase the bet by one crediteach time the player pushes the bet one button 24. When the playerpushes the bet one button 24, the number of credits shown in the creditdisplay 16 decreases by one, and the number of credits shown in the betdisplay 22 increases by one. At any time during the game, a player may“cash out” by pushing a cash out button 26 to receive coins or tokens inthe coin payout tray 28 or other forms of payment, such as an amountprinted on a ticket or credited to a credit card, debit card or smartcard.

Gaming device 10 also includes one or more display devices. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 1A includes a central display device 30, andthe alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1B includes a central displaydevice 30 as well as an upper display device 32. The display devicesdisplay any visual representation or exhibition, including but notlimited to movement of physical objects such as mechanical reels andwheels, dynamic lighting and video images. The display device includesany viewing surface such as glass, a video monitor or screen, a liquidcrystal display or any other static or dynamic display mechanism. In avideo poker, blackjack or other card gaming machine embodiment, thedisplay device includes displaying one or more cards.

The slot machine base game of gaming device 10 preferably displays aplurality of reels 34, preferably three to five reels 34, in mechanicalor video form on one or more of the display devices. Each reel 34displays a plurality of indicia such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers,letters, bars or other images which preferably correspond to a themeassociated with the gaming device 10. If the reels 34 are in video form,the display device displaying the video reels 34 is preferably a videomonitor. Each base game, especially in the slot machine base game of thegaming device 10, includes speakers 36 for making sounds or playingmusic.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a general electronic configuration of thegaming device 10 for the stand alone and bonus embodiments describedabove preferably includes: a processor 38; a memory device 40 forstoring program code or other data; a central display device 30; anupper display device 32; a sound card 42; a plurality of speakers 36;and one or more input devices 44. The processor 38 is preferably amicroprocessor or microcontroller-based platform which is capable ofdisplaying images, symbols and other indicia such as images of people,characters, places, things and faces of cards. The memory device 40includes random access memory (RAM) 46 for storing event data or otherdata generated or used during a particular game. The memory device 40also includes read only memory (ROM) 48 for storing program code, whichcontrols the gaming device 10 so that it plays a particular game inaccordance with applicable game rules and pay tables.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the player preferably uses the input devices44 to input signals into gaming device 10. In the slot machine basegame, the input devices 44 include the pull arm 18, play button 20, thebet one button 24 and the cash out button 26. A touch screen 50 andtouch screen controller 52 are connected to a video controller 54 andprocessor 38. The terms “computer” or “controller” are used herein torefer collectively to the processor 38, the memory device 40, the soundcard 42, the touch screen controller and the video controller 54.

In certain instances, it is preferable to use a touch screen 50 and anassociated touch screen controller 52 instead of a conventional videomonitor display device. The touch screen enables a player to inputdecisions into the gaming device 10 by sending a discrete signal basedon the area of the touch screen 50 that the player touches or presses.As further seen in FIG. 2, the processor 38 connects to the coin slot 12or payment acceptor 14, whereby the processor 38 requires a player todeposit a certain amount of money in to start the game.

It should be appreciated that although a processor 38 and memory device40 are preferable implementations of the present invention, the presentinvention also includes being implemented via one or moreapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASIC's), one or morehard-wired devices, or one or more mechanical devices (collectivelyreferred to herein as a “processor”). Furthermore, although theprocessor 38 and memory device 40 preferably reside in each gamingdevice 10 unit, the present invention includes providing some or all oftheir functions at a central location such as a network server forcommunication to a playing station such as over a local area network(LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet connection, microwave link, andthe like.

With reference to the slot machine base game of FIGS. 1A and 1B, tooperate the gaming device 10, the player inserts the appropriate amountof tokens or money in the coin slot 12 or the payment acceptor 14 andthen pulls the arm 18 or pushes the play button 20. The reels 34 thenbegin to spin. Eventually, the reels 34 come to a stop. As long as theplayer has credits remaining, the player can spin the reels 34 again.Depending upon where the reels 34 stop, the player may or may not winadditional credits.

In addition to winning base game credits, the gaming device 10,including any of the base games disclosed above, may include a bonusgame that gives players the opportunity to win credits or a tournamententry as described below. The bonus game includes a program thatautomatically begins when the player achieves a triggering event in thebase game.

In the slot machine embodiment, the triggering event includes aparticular symbol or symbol combination generated on a display device.As illustrated in the five reel slot game shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, thetriggering event includes the number seven appearing on three adjacentreels 34 along a payline 56. It should be appreciated that the presentinvention includes one or more paylines, such as payline 56, wherein thepaylines can be horizontal, diagonal or any combination thereof.

In another embodiment, the triggering event includes a particular cardcombination in a video poker game.

Qualification for a Tournament through Gaming Device Operation

FIG. 3 provides an overview of the method or process 100 by which aplayer qualifies for the tournament through operation of the gamingdevice of the present invention. The player makes a wager within thegaming device as indicated by block 102. The game within the gamingdevice, whether slot, video poker, video blackjack, video keno, or othergame is then played as indicated by block 104. The processor determinesif the player achieves a qualifying outcome during this sequence asindicated by diamond 106. If the player achieves a qualifying outcome,the player receives a voucher or tournament entry as indicated by block108 as proof of entry into the tournament. The player may thenparticipate in the tournament which is held at a later time as indicatedby block 110. The player may restart the process at any time. However,depending on the implementor, a player may not be allowed to obtainmultiple entries to a tournament. Thus, if the player wins another entryafter restarting the process, the game may provide a cash valueequivalent or provide the player an entry in a subsequent tournament.The player then has the option of participating in a subsequenttournament.

In an alternative embodiment, a player must achieve a qualifying outcomea plurality of times in order to qualify for the tournament. Forexample, the casino may require that a player achieve a qualifyingoutcome twice to qualify for the tournament. After the first qualifyingoutcome is obtained, the gaming device acknowledges, whether visually oraudibly, that the player has achieved a first qualifying outcome. Apartial voucher may alternatively be provided to the player. Further,alternatively a processor, whether located within the gaming device orremote from the gaming device may keep track of the game's qualifyingoutcomes. If the player achieves a second qualifying outcome (i.e., suchas before a cash out), the gaming device notifies the player that theplayer has qualified for the tournament. In one embodiment, thequalifying information is recorded on the computer which runs the playertracking system. Thus, the player may play on a first occasion andachieve a first qualifying outcome which is recorded with the playerinformation in a conventional manner. The player may then operate thegaming device on a second occasion, (i.e., with the player informationcard inserted within the gaming device). If the player achieves a secondqualifying outcome, the processor within the gaming device and/or theprocessor located remote from the gaming device acknowledge this, andthe gaming device notifies the player that the player has qualified forthe tournament. This information is then recorded with the playerinformation and the player may redeem a tournament entry or voucher.Alternatively, the game goes into a hand-pay condition or state and anattendant provides the player a tournament entry or invitation.

The game within the gaming device may be a primary or secondary gamesuch as slot, video poker, video blackjack or other suitable game. Thegame includes at least one qualifying outcome and at least onenon-qualifying outcome. For example, a slot game may provide two winningcombinations. A first winning combination, such as 3 “BAR” symbols alonga payline, may provide the player with an award but may not qualify theplayer for entry into the tournament. A second winning combination,determined by the implementor, may provide the player with an entry intothe tournament.

In one embodiment, the game within the gaming device is a slot machinegame. The gaming device includes a set of mechanical or video reels 34a, 34 b and 34 c having a set of symbols 68. The symbols may be of anytype suitable for gaming devices. At least one of the symbols is atournament qualification symbol 70, or, at least one of the combinationsof symbols is a tournament qualifying combination, the obtaining eitherthe symbol or the combination qualifying the player for the tournament.In one embodiment, the qualification symbol is distinguished from therest of the symbols 68. A player makes a wager and uses the controlfeatures of the gaming device to spin the reels. The display devicedisplays three qualification symbols along a payline 56, as illustratedin FIG. 4. This is a qualifying outcome and the player qualifies for thetournament. In another example, the qualifying outcome is aqualification symbol on each of the reels in a scattered arrangement, asshown in FIG. 5. In an alternative embodiment, the qualification symbolis not distinguished from the other symbols. The processor chooses aparticular symbol or symbol combination, such as three “7” symbols alonga payline, which must be displayed within the display device in orderfor the player to qualify for the tournament.

In one embodiment, the game within the gaming device is a video pokergame. The video poker game may be any variation including draw, stud,multiple play or other type. The processor of gaming device has withinits stored memory a set of cards. A player makes a wager and uses thecontrol features of the gaming device to have a set of virtual cardsdealt by the gaming device. If one of the cards, 72 a through 72 e,within the display device provide a predetermined qualifying outcome,the player qualifies for the tournament. An example is provided in FIG.6, where the player achieves a royal flush which is a predeterminedqualifying outcome that qualifies the player for the tournament. In analternative embodiment, at least one of the cards is capable ofdisplaying a qualification symbol 70. The processor randomly chooses todisplay the qualification symbol on the card. The player qualifies forthe tournament by achieving a predetermined winning combination when thequalification symbol 70 is randomly displayed on one of the cards 73 athrough 73 e. An example is provided in FIG. 7, it is appreciated thatin the case of any draw-type poker games, the qualification symbol maybe randomly displayed on a card that was drawn after the initial hand ofcards was dealt.

In one embodiment, the game played within the gaming device is a videoblackjack game. The processor has within its stored memory a set ofcards, a plurality of which are displayed within the display device. Atleast one of the cards is capable of displaying a qualification symbol.The processor randomly chooses to display the qualification symbol onthe card. A player makes a wager and uses the control features of thegaming device to have at least two cards 74 a and 74 b dealt anddisplayed within the display device. If one of the cards displayedincludes a qualification symbol 70, as shown in FIG. 8, and the playerachieves a winning combination, the player qualifies for the tournament.The qualification symbol may also be randomly displayed on cards drawnin addition to the initial hand.

It should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited tothe games described above, and may include any primary or secondarygames capable of providing entries into a tournament. The qualifyingoutcomes for any of the primary or secondary games are not limited tothe examples provided herein and may comprise any predetermined outcomeschosen by the implementor. Moreover, the number of qualifying outcomesor non-qualifying outcomes is not limited to the examples providedherein and may be any number of outcomes stored within the memory deviceand provided by the processor of the gaming device with at least oneoutcome being a qualifying outcome and at least one outcome being anon-qualifying outcome.

It should thus be appreciated that in accordance with the presentinvention the qualifying outcome or condition can be obtained in anysuitable primary game or bonus game. It should also be appreciated thatthe qualifying outcome or condition could be associated for example withone or more of a plurality of player selectable selections in a playerselection type game or one or more offers in a player offer acceptancetype game. The qualifying outcome or condition could be obtained byobtaining a combination of two or more outcomes in a primary game orbonus game.

In one embodiment, when the player qualifies for the tournament, theplayer is presented with a voucher verifying entry into the tournament.The voucher may be paper, plastic, or other material capable ofreceiving printing or writing. The voucher may contain generalinformation, such as place, date and time of the tournament, and/or mayalso contain individual player information, such as name, address,contact information and a personalized confirmation number for thetournament. In one embodiment, the voucher is presented by casinopersonnel in a manner similar to hand pays. When a player achieves aqualifying outcome, the processor sends a signal by illuminating a lightpositioned on top of the gaming device. Attendants who survey the floorfor service of the gaming devices and player will notice the light,arrive at the gaming device and verify the qualifying outcome. Theattendant may keep a set of vouchers which have two layers for printingand copying of information. After writing player and tournamentinformation on the voucher, the layers are separated, with one layerpresented to the player and one layer retained by the casino forrecordkeeping.

In one embodiment, the attendant obtains the player's information andinputs the information into a central computer located remote from thegaming device. This information is stored by the central computer forthe casino's records. The computer is connected to and in communicationwith a printer. The computer sends a signal to the printer containingthe player's information. The printer prints a voucher containing theinformation and the voucher is presented to the player.

In an alternative embodiment, the voucher is presented by the gamingdevice through a printing device. The printing device may be of anysuitable type and may be positioned within or adjacent to the cabinet ofthe gaming device. The printing device is connected to and is incommunication with the processor of the gaming device. However, theprinter may instead be in communication with a processor and/or thecentral computer located remote from the gaming device. When the playerqualifies for the tournament, a signal is sent, by either processor, tothe printer. The printer then prints a voucher. This may also becoordinated with the ticket printing systems of the gaming device suchas the EZPay™ ticket printing system of the assignee and thisapplication. The information printed on the voucher may also be storedwithin the processor of the gaming device or the central computerlocated remote from the gaming device. In one embodiment, the playerbrings the voucher to casino personnel for authentication after printingis completed. The casino personnel signs the voucher to provideauthentication. When the player participates in the tournament, theplayer presents the voucher to casino personnel. The casino personnelmay verify the information on the voucher with tournament informationthat is stored in the casino's processor.

In an alternative embodiment, during the time at which the playerreceives a voucher, the player may be able to choose from a plurality oftournament sin which to participate. A list of upcoming tournaments maybe provided to the player with the player choosing to participate in thetournament which occurs at a date most convenient for the player toattend. The date selected is recorded by the casino, which predeterminesthe number of entries per tournament, and the player's entry is reservedfor the specific date.

The tournament may be any tournament, such as a slot machine tournamentin which the player can obtain one or more prizes. The rules of thetournament may be such that contestants must deposit money or tokensform their own expense. A plurality of gaming devices are provided. Eachgaming device is capable of awarding the top prize in the tournament.Each contestant plays an individual gaming device. All of thecontestants begin playing the gaming devices at the same time. The firstplayer to achieve the winning combination corresponding to the grandprize receives the prize. The tournament may include additional prizes,whether large or smaller in value. For instance, the prizes arepreferably cars, motorcycles, boats or similar items of high value.Smaller prizes, of which a greater number are awarded, may include itemssuch as hats, T-shirts, key-chains, jackets, memorabilia and othermerchandise. Smaller prizes may be awarded for lesser valued winningcombinations, or merely for participating in the tournament. Inaddition, while larger prizes may be collect ed at the end of thetournament, small prizes may be distributed during the course of thetournament to players for winning combinations or participation.

In another example, each contestant plays on one or more gaming devices,at no expense to the player, for a predetermined period of time. Thecontestant accumulating the greatest amount of credits in the timeperiod, receives the grand prize. In this tournament, the contestants donot necessarily start or stop playing at the same time. In analternative embodiment, the contestant who received the highest payoutfor an outcome during the predetermined time period wins the grandprize.

In one embodiment, the tournament is in the form of a raffle in whichone or more prizes are given away. The casino has a record of allconfirmation numbers assigned to vouchers for the tournament. Eachcontestant has a confirmation number written or printed on theirvoucher. A random confirmation number is drawn by casino personnel. Thecontestant in possession of the voucher having the drawn confirmationnumber wins the grand prize. Other confirmation numbers may be drawn forlower-valued prizes. In another example, the contestants may receiveseparate raffle tickets when they arrive at the tournament.

In one embodiment, the tournament is a video poker tournament in whichthe player can receive one or more awards. The video poker tournamentrules may be similar to those for the slot machine tournament. Morespecifically, there may be a specific winning hand that must bedisplayed to win a grand prize. All contestants begin play at the sametime with each contestant operating one gaming device. The contestantachieving the specific winning combination first wins the grand prize.In another example, all contestants play for a predetermined amount oftime with the contestant accumulating the most credits in that timereceiving the grand prize. In another example, the contestant achievingthe single highest payout in a predetermined amount of time wins thegrand prize. In addition, lower-valued prizes may be awarded for otherwinning combinations.

It is appreciated that the tournament may be any type of competitionincluding but not limited to the types mentioned above and any type oflottery. It is further appreciated that the tournament can have anynumber of contestants and can award any number of prizes. It is alsoappreciated that the tournament can be held once, a plurality of times,or periodically.

The tournament provides a number of advantages for casinos in terms ofoffering and distributing prizes to players. Smaller prizes which may bedifficult to keep track of may be distributed on one occasion, namely,the tournament, rather than at individual times. This eases the tasks ofdelivering the prizes to the players as well as keeping an inventory ofthe prizes distributed. Record keeping is also made easier becauseplayer information is recorded either prior to the tournament or duringthe tournament instead of at erratic intervals. In addition, the casinodoes not need to store the prizes for a long period of time, since thetime of distribution is known. This saves both time and money associatedwith choosing a storage facility, determining the period of time theprizes need to be stored, and revisiting the storage facility to bringthe prizes to the casino or players. Casinos also save on the cost ofsecurity for the prizes because the prizes do not have to be held by thecasino for a long period of time. In addition, delivery costs arereduced because the players will be receiving those prizes at the timeof the tournament.

For larger prizes, the present invention provides advantages in additionto those listed above. Items such as cars or motorcycles may bedistributed at one time. The specific time could be detailed within thedisplay to make players aware when the prize may be collect ed. Largerprizes within displays would not need to be replaced because thoseprizes would be displayed solely for advertising to players thepotential win in the tournament. Thus, the casino saves the trouble ofremoving the prize, delivering the prize to the player, having a newprize delivered to the casino, and repositioning the new prize withinthe display.

Current Methods of Setting Payout Percentages

Certain gaming devices provide monetary awards. The payment or paybackpercentages in most commercially available gaming devices in the UnitedStates range from 84% to 99%. The gaming devices on average pay out tothe players according to the percentage. For example, if the payoutpercentage is set at 90%, for every $1000 wagered, the gaming devicepays out on average $900 to the players. Of course, because the paybacksare randomly determined the actual paybacks to players may be thepayback percentage or higher or lower than the payback percentage.

If a gaming device offers a physical prize (which for the purpose ofthis application includes a service or other accommodation such as atrip or massage) in addition to monetary awards, the value of thephysical prize must be factored into the overall payout percentage. Forexample, a gaming device may have a payout percentage of 90%. The gamingdevice may offer a T-shirt for a plurality of outcomes. If the T-shirthas a value of $10, this value must be factored into the payoutpercentage. For instance, the 90% payback can be divided into an 85%monetary payback and a 5% payback in T-shirts. Of course, thesepercentages may vary, the values of the awards can vary and the numberof prizes can vary. In this example, if the players wager $1000, onaverage the players will receive $850 in the form of monetary awards andachieve, on average, $50 in the form of five $10 T-shirts.

Method of Setting a Payout Percentage in the Present Invention

Similarly, the payout percentages of the gaming devices employing thepresent invention must take into account prizes awarded to the playersin the tournament. In particular, it should be appreciated that in oneembodiment of the present invention, awards in the tournament areguaranteed to be paid to the players of the tournament. Therefore, thevalues of those awards are factored into the paytables of the gamingdevice which can provide entries into the tournaments.

For example, in a tournament, a set of prizes may be awarded as shown inTable 1: TABLE 1 Number of Awards Value of Awards Total Cost Grand Prize1 $20,000 $20,000 Second Prize 10 $5,000 $50,000 Third Prize 200 $100$20,000

Accordingly, in this example, the total cost of all the prizesguaranteed to be awarded in the tournament is $90,000. This total isfactored into the payout or payback percentage of the gaming deviceswhich provides entries into the tournament. Table 2 provides an examplefor calculating the payout percentages for the gaming devices whichprovide entries to the tournament: TABLE 2 Number of Gaming Devices(Fixed) 200 Number of Days Between Tournaments (Fixed) 90 Average Numberof Games Played Per Gaming 2500 Device Per Day (Estimated based onStatistical Data) Average Bet in Dollars Per Game Played   $2.00(Estimated based on Statistical Data) Average Revenue in Dollars PerGaming Device $5000   Per Day (Estimated based on Statistical Data)Average Number of Games Played in the Number 45,000,000 of Days BetweenTournaments (Estimated based on Statistical Data) Average Total AmountWagered Between 90,000,000 Tournaments (Estimated based on StatisticalData)

In this example, if the average gaming device has 2500 games played perday, and the average wager per game is $2.00, then the average revenueamount wagered per day is $5,000. If there are 200 gaming devices thatprovide entries into the tournament, then the total amount wagered perday on average is $1,000,000. If, as illustrated in the above table,there are 90 days between tournaments, the total amount wagered betweentournaments is $90,000,000. As mentioned above, the cost of thetournament is $90,000. This is 0.1% of the total amount wagered in thisexample. Accordingly, 0.1% is reserved within the payout percentage ofeach gaming device to account for the value of the awards guaranteed tobe provided in the tournament. In this example, the payback percentageis 90% and if players wager $1000 on one of the gaming devices, theplayers, on average, will receive $899 in monetary awards, and $1 ofreturn value through the tournament.

In this embodiment, when the player achieves a qualifying outcome, theplayer is presented with a voucher and does not receive a monetaryaward. In an alternative embodiment, the player also receives a monetaryaward for achieving the tournament qualifying outcome. The value of thetournament qualifying outcome will be factored into the payoutpercentage of the gaming device. For example, the gaming device couldprovide a monetary award with the voucher and the pay table would haveto be accordingly adjusted. For instance, the gaming device couldprovide 89.8% in monetary value and 0.2% in combined tournament entriesand monetary values.

The monetary award associated with the tournament could also beaccounted for in the cost of the tournament. For example, if on averagethere will be 1,000 entries into the tournament, and each entry isprovided with $90 travel expense to the tournament, the overall cost ofthe tournament is $180,000, or the cost of the prizes awarded at thetournament ($90,000) plus the total cost of the travel expense orpayouts for qualifying ($90,000). Accordingly, in the above example,$180,000 is then 0.2% of the total amount wagered on the gaming machineson average between tournaments. Therefore, 0.2% of the payout percentageis reserved in the gaming devices. For example, if players wager $1000,players, on average, receive $898 in monetary values and $2 of returnvalue through the tournament and the accompanied expense award.

In an alternative embodiment, the tournament is directly funded bywagers made in the gaming devices similar to a progressive award. If, inone example, 1000 gaming devices potentially provide entries into thetournament, and the average contribution per gaming device to thetournament is $100, then the prizes awarded at the tournament may be afirst prize value of $50,000, a second prize value of $30,000 and athird place prize value of $20,000. These prizes total $100,000collected from the gaming devices. Of course, the payback percentage ofthe gaming devices would need to be adjusted to account for the totalvalue of the prizes.

While the present invention is described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodimentsit should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to thedisclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modificationsand equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of theclaims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may bemade without departing from the novel aspects of the invention asdefined in the claims, and this application is limited only by the scopeof the claims.

1. A gaming device comprising: a primary game; at least onenon-qualifying outcome in the primary game; at least one qualifyingoutcome in the primary game, wherein a player qualifies for amulti-player tournament to be held in the future when the playerachieves the qualifying outcome, wherein the tournament is selected bythe player from a plurality of different tournaments; and a paytable forsaid primary game, said paytable including: (a) a first average payoutpercentage greater than zero and less than one-hundred which accountsfor all of the non-qualifying outcomes in the primary game, and (b) asecond average payout percentage greater than zero and less thanone-hundred which accounts for at least a portion of a value guaranteedto be won in said tournament, wherein the second average payoutpercentage is at least in part based on: (i) a fixed total number ofgaming devices which each can provide a qualifying outcome for thetournament, (ii) a number of days between at least two sequentialtournaments, (iii) an estimated average number of games played pergaming device per day, and (iv) an estimated average bet in monetaryunits per game played.
 2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein theprimary game is a slot game.
 3. The gaming device of claim 2, whereinthe qualifying outcome is a qualification symbol obtained on an activepayline.
 4. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the qualifying outcomeis a plurality of qualification symbols obtained on an active payline.5. The gaming device of claim 2, wherein the qualifying outcome is aplurality of qualification symbols displayed within a display device ina scattered arrangement.
 6. The gaming device of claim 1, which includesa plurality of non-qualifying outcomes.
 7. The gaming device of claim 1,wherein the primary game is a video poker game.
 8. The gaming device ofclaim 7, wherein the qualifying outcome is a predetermined winningcombination of a plurality of cards in said video poker game.
 9. Thegaming device of claim 7, which includes a qualification symbol, andwherein the qualifying outcome is a winning combination of a pluralityof said cards in combination with said qualification symbol.
 10. Thegaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game is a video blackjackgame.
 11. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the primary game is avideo keno game.
 12. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein thetournaments are selected from the group consisting of: a slot machinetournament; a poker tournament; a blackjack tournament; a kenotournament; a raffle; and a lottery.
 13. The gaming device of claim 1,including a payout percentage, said payout percentage set relative to acost of the tournament.
 14. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein aminimum wager in the primary game is required to qualify for thetournament.
 15. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a printerfor printing a tournament entry when the qualifying outcome is achievedby the player.
 16. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein a hand-paystate is entered when the qualifying outcome is achieved by the player.17. The gaming device of claim 1, which includes a plurality ofqualifying outcomes, wherein the player qualifies for the multi-playertournament when the player achieves one of the qualifying outcomes. 18.The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the qualifying outcome includes acombination of at least two predetermined outcomes in the primary game.19. A gaming device comprising: a primary game; a triggering event inthe primary game; a bonus game triggered by said triggering event; atleast one non-qualifying outcome in the bonus game; at least onequalifying outcome in the bonus game, wherein a player qualifies for amulti-player tournament to be held in the future when the playerachieves the qualifying outcome, wherein the tournament is selected bythe player from a plurality of different tournaments; and a paytable forsaid primary game and said bonus game, said paytable including (a) afirst average payout percentage greater than zero and less thanone-hundred which accounts for all winning outcomes in the primary gameand non-qualifying outcomes in the bonus game, and (b) a second averagepayout percentage greater than zero and less than one-hundred whichaccounts for at least a portion of a value guaranteed to be won in saidtournament, wherein the second average payout percentage is at least inpart based on: (i) a fixed total number of gaming devices which each canprovide a qualifying outcome for the tournament, (ii) a number of daysbetween at least two sequential tournaments, (iii) an estimated averagenumber of games played per gaming device per day, and (iv) an estimatedaverage bet in monetary units per game played.
 20. The gaming device ofclaim 19, which includes a plurality of non-qualifying outcomes.
 21. Thegaming device of claim 19, wherein the bonus game is a slot game. 22.The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the bonus game is a video pokergame.
 23. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the bonus game is avideo blackjack game.
 24. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein thebonus game is a video keno game.
 25. The gaming device of claim 19,wherein the tournaments are selected from the group consisting of: aslot machine tournament; a poker tournament; a blackjack tournament; akeno tournament; a raffle; and a lottery.
 26. The gaming device of claim19, wherein a minimum wager is required to qualify for the tournament.27. The gaming device of claim 19, which includes a printer for printinga tournament entry when the qualifying outcome is achieved by theplayer.
 28. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein a hand-pay state isentered when the qualifying outcome is achieved by the player.
 29. Thegaming device of claim 19, wherein the qualifying outcome includes acombination of at least two combinations of outcomes in the bonus game.30. The gaming device of claim 19, wherein the bonus game includes aplurality of player selectable selections and wherein the qualifyingoutcome is associated with at least one selection.
 31. The gaming deviceof claim 19, wherein the bonus game includes a player offer acceptancetype game and the qualifying outcome is associated with one of aplurality of offers made to the player.
 32. A method for providing atournament entry in association with play of a gaming device, the methodcomprising the steps of: (a) providing a controller; (b) storing atleast one non-qualifying outcome within the controller; (c) storing atleast one qualifying outcome within the controller; (d) randomlyproducing the qualifying outcome; and (e) providing the tournament entryto the player achieving the qualifying outcome for the tournamentwherein the tournament is selected by the player from a plurality ofdifferent tournaments, and wherein a paytable including a first averagepayout percentage greater than zero and less than one hundred accountsfor each said non-qualifying outcome and a second average payoutpercentage greater than zero and less than one hundred accounts for avalue guaranteed to be won in said tournament, wherein the secondaverage payout percentage is at least in part based on: (i) a fixedtotal number of gaming devices which each can provide a qualifyingoutcome for the tournament, (ii) a number of days between at least twosequential tournaments, (iii) an estimated average number of gamesplayed per gaming device per day, and (iv) an estimated average bet inmonetary units per game played.
 33. The method of claim 32, whichincludes the step of printing the tournament entry when the playerachieves the qualifying outcome.
 34. The method of claim 32, whichincludes selecting at least one tournament to be held on a predeterminedday in the future.
 35. The method of claim 32, which includes providingan additional monetary award to the player when the player obtains thequalifying outcome.
 36. The method of claim 32, which includes setting apayout percentage for the gaming device based on a cost of thetournament.
 37. The method of claim 32, wherein the qualifying outcomeis adapted to be produced in a primary game.
 38. The method of claim 32,wherein the qualifying outcome is adapted to be produced in a bonusgame.
 39. A tournament comprising: a plurality of tournament gamingdevices adapted to be played by a plurality of contestants, saidcontestants qualifying to participate in said tournament by achieving aqualifying outcome on one of a plurality of qualifying gaming deviceswhich enables the player to select said tournament from a plurality ofdifferent tournaments, each said qualifying gaming devices capable ofproducing said qualifying outcome and a plurality of non-qualifyingoutcomes; and at least one prize awarded to one of the contestants whichplay the tournament gaming devices, wherein each said gaming device hasa paytable having a first average payout percentage greater than zeroand less than one hundred which accounts for the plurality ofnon-qualifying outcomes and a second average payout percentage greaterthan zero and less than one hundred which accounts for a valueguaranteed to be won in the tournament, wherein the second averagepayout percentage is at least in part based on (i) a fixed total numberof gaming devices which each can provide a qualifying outcome for thetournament, (ii) a number of days between at least two sequentialtournaments, (iii) an estimated average number of games played pergaming device per day, and (iv) an estimated average bet in monetaryunits per game played.
 40. The tournament of claim 39, wherein thetournament gaming devices are slot machines.
 41. The tournament of claim39, wherein the tournament gaming devices are video poker gamingmachines.
 42. The tournament of claim 39, wherein a theme of thetournament is related to the theme of the qualifying gaming devices. 43.A gaming device comprising: a display device; a primary game; aplurality of reels in said primary game; a plurality of symbols on theplurality of reels including at least one qualification symbol on atleast one of the reels; at least one non-qualifying outcome involvingthe plurality of symbols; and at least one qualifying outcome involvingthe plurality of symbols, wherein a player qualifies for a tournamentwhen the player achieves the qualifying outcome and wherein thetournament is selected by the player from a plurality of differenttournaments; and a paytable for said primary game, said paytableincluding (a) a first average payout percentage greater than zero andless than one-hundred which accounts for all of the non-qualifyingoutcomes, and (b) a second average payout percentage greater than zeroand less than one-hundred which accounts for at least a portion of avalue guaranteed to be won in said tournament, wherein the secondaverage payout percentage is at least in part based on: (i) a fixedtotal number of gaming devices which each can provide a qualifyingoutcome for the tournament, (ii) a number of days between at least twosequential tournaments, (iii) an estimated average number of gamesplayed per gaming device per day, and (iv) an estimated average bet inmonetary units per game played.
 44. The gaming device of claim 43,wherein the qualifying outcome is at least one qualifying symboldisplayed on an active payline.
 45. The gaming device of claim 43,wherein the qualifying outcome is a plurality of qualification symbolsdisplayed on an active payline.
 46. The gaming device of claim 43,wherein the qualifying outcome is a plurality of qualification symbolsdisplayed within a display device in a scattered arrangement.
 47. Thegaming device of claim 43, wherein the tournament is selected from thegroup consisting of: a slot machine tournament; a poker tournament; ablackjack tournament; a keno tournament; a raffle; and a lottery. 48.The gaming device of claim 43, which includes a payout percentage whichaccounts for a cost of the tournament.